Wednesday-Sunday - Punta Gorda, then home

On Wednesday we travel from Belmopan to Punta Gorda. En route we stop to see the famous Blue hole, for which there is normally a fee. However as it is decidedly not blue at the moment, the fee was graciously waived.
We arrive at our next base - Falling stones, with a panoramic view of the jungle
Here Al looks very fetching modeling a Blue Morpho. Ray, the proprietor, is a professional butterfly breeder, so we are given a tour of his facility in the afternoon.
On Thursday we meet up with Brian Holland, a geologist with a considerable knowledge of this area. Here he appears to be bragging about something.
Brian leads the group on a hunt for Rudist.
Adriana takes a photograph looking back at the gorge that we just left, which was formed by a collapsed cave system.
Tim snacks on some cahoon nuts, which are a bit like small coconuts, the traditional way.
As do I..
Tim befriends some Mayan children at Corozon quarry, and teaches them to throw rocks over the embankment shortly before we have to walk down there..
On Friday, Joe, Tim and I head into the jungle to do some reconnasance.
Saturday is a free day, and we head into the Jungle with Agapeta, our jungle guide. Here he shows the the tree from the bark of which quinine is derived.
The jungle trail leads to a swimming hole where we have lunch and a swim.
Jan Smit takes a moment to explain our theories to Agapeta.
Then on Sunday, the expedition members say their goodbyes and commence their journeys home. Bob, Theresa and I do not fly out till Monday, so we arrange a night at Jaguar Reef Lodge in Hopkins Village, which is between Punta Gorda and Belize city. We travel with with the members of the expedition that are driving to Belize city, and they join us for a farewell drink at Jaguar Reef before continuing on their way.
On Monday, Bob, Theresa and I fly with Maya Air from Dangriga airport to Belize International Airport. While we are waiting at the airport, a small plane lands clumsily, which provides some amusement till we realize that this is our transport. The plane is so small, I am almost sitting in the Pilots lap. We make three unsuccessful attempts to land at an airstrip that is evidently too short, and finally land at our destination with only one passenger somewhat the worse for the experience.
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